Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-23
OLD SETTLERS
Held their Ninth Annual Reunion
Yesterday at the Opera lesss'
House. {
Large Attendance, Elegant Dinner,
Telling Speeches and
Grand Ball.

: it the annual reunion of the old settlers
Sedgwick county. Early in the mornll
% the solid, substantial people from the cou
81 try commenced coming into the city to me
8 and greet their old friends and ecquain
50 ances, who with them assisted in laying Il
70 foundation for the present prosperity OF Il
richest county and the most enterprisiI
= city in the state.
The forenoon was consumed in the q
!, rangements for the dinner Thirteen Ion
, tables were placed in the room and loade
q with all the good things produced in not onl
this county, but the world.
$ When the dinner hour, o'clock, can
round, all were invited by Mr.. Eichholtz
be seated. This invitation was quickly a.
: cepted, and soon all were heartily enjoyin
themselves Over the board "reminiscences c
t early life in Sedgwick were recounted an
added spice to the banquet The ladies VIII
had the tables in charge were untirlng i
their effort to please, leaving nothing III
done that might add either to the pleasure
enjoyment of all their guests.
Those in charge Of the tables were: No.
Mrs. Josie Stanley; No.2, Miss Flora Bailey
No. 3, Mrs'J. C. Williams; No. 4, Mrs. Ton
Bolts; No. 5, Mrs. Simmons; No 6, Mrs. j
W. Wingard; No. Z, Mrs. J. Hughes; No.
Mrs. Blood No. 9, Miss Ella Stanton; No
TO- Mrs NJ NJ. Fecbheimer; No II, Mrs
Garrett, Mrs. Major and Miss Chamberlain
No. ~, Mrs. E. Dodge.
Fully GOO persons sat at the tables, and
two complete changes were made.
After the dinner the tables were cleared
away and the hall prepared for the after
noon exercises.
AFTERNOON EXERCISES.
A brief address was made by the president
Mr.. P Mcdonald in which he succintly re-
viewed the progress of the county, its rep
resentative city Wichita, referred to the OBJ
jet and purpose Of the old settlers reunion,
and in conclusion introduced in few per-
tinent remarks the next speaker, Mr.. E. P.
| Thompson.
Mr.. Thompson spoke upon the ''Educa-
tional, Social and Financial Advantages Of
Sedgwick county" After speaking of the
finoncial condition of the county he
| referred to the educational advantages
by saying that this county, like the state, al
ways favored education and did every thing
within its power to further educational in
terests, and to foster educational institutions.
We can see, he says, the fruits of this, for
| today Wichita may well be called the Ath-
ems of America, in the face even of the cul-
tured and much boosted of Hub. We must
continue so to encourage this spirit by as
slsting our public schools and taking care Of
that most important parsonage the school
teacher
When we early settlers first came
to this county there was great So
ciabilty existing among all Of US.
We welcomed our neighborS to our
unpretentious homes and gave them a warm
and heartfelt invitation to partake of our
plain meals Soon we began to be separated
and SO We established this annual reunion as
q means of keeping green our acquaintance
and love one for another. II feel proud that
we are still keeping up this old custom, it
means socibility and warmth and depth Of
feeling. rejoice once more to see you all.
Some Of US are growing old and the gray is
generously mixed with our hair We are,
too, dropping of one by one, and when we
are gone may our children reverence our
memories by still meeting here as we have
done year after year.
After music, a recitation was given in
most pleasing and entertaining manner by
Miss Blanche Fechheimer,
Mr. Sluss then arose, and to ''The Memory
Of Washington; First in Peace, First in War,
First in the Hearts of all who love Liberty"
delivered an eloquent and entertaining ad-
dress. The people, he said, have deserted
the ground floor. They have gone up into the
second story, for now we are building
houses of two stores-yes, and with Brus-
sells carpets upon the second, too. The first
thing needed is good foundation, then
comes the superstructure. When the super
structure is commenced the foundation is
forgotten.
Even now | see you putting up mosquito
bars. Why in our early days a mosquito
was luxury, and now you are trying to
Ike p it out of your house. We have passed
beyond the foundation of this county, but
lie manhood and womanhood which laid it
are still here. We may not admire it as we
once did but we still rest upon it. If the
Fl st elements had not been secured, the
glory of Sedgwick county would not have
been.
The same is true of Washington, we have
T
are five persons before me who can tell in
what year he was born, but still his memory
is fresh and revered by Us all. History tells
us that his life was dedicated to his duty as
a citizen. He was a real estate man and
owned more acres than any man now does in
too. for he laid out the city 4 Washington
not for his own personal aggrandizment but
for the glory of the country. He was not
the greatest soldier that America
has ever produced, but he lowered
among mankind as a man Of in
As surveyor, farmer. president, every act
Of his WAS devoted TO the public good. This
is the secret of the memory of Washington.
If we each resolve that our life shall be de-
voted to doing cur duties as citizen much
good will be produced.
Master Frank Rice then sang Mrs Roney's
twines III a pleasing manner, and was highly
applauied.
Mr.. Collins sang the laughing song. 1t
was so well received that his audience would
no. let him OFF without once again favoring
them with one of his musical selections
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